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February 2009 releases

The February releases are noted at the bottom of the post. As noted in its music review, I'm really looking forward to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Delhi-6, releasing the twentieth. I think it'll be fantastic and will be talked about through the year. Official website: Delhi6.co.in. If there's one film I'd recommend you see in theaters this month, it's this one.

This note added 2/3: Firaaq (the word means separation, or abandonment) marks the directorial debut of the one and only, the fabulous and ever-dependable Nandita Das! I'm looking forward to it as much as any other this month, although none of the theaters here in Southern California seem to want to show it, in which case the wait will be on for the DVD release. 'A work of fiction based on a thousand true stories', it stars Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Sanjay Suri, Deepti Naval, Shahana Goswami (from Rock On (2008)), Tisca Chopra (from Taare Zameen Par (2007)), etc. FiraaqTheFilm.com has some interesting commentary, I liked Ms. Das's note under 'Director's Space'. I think it's more than fair to say any film involving these two promises more than most!

Another interesting film releasing around Valentine's Day is comedy Billu Barber, starring Irrfan Khan, Lara Dutta, Om Puri, and Shah Rukh Khan (in a somewhat extended cameo). I think its music (Pritam Chakrobarty) is very average, and its tagline -- 'It's special to be ordinary' -- eerily similar to that to Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi(2008) and 'There's an extraordinary love story in every ordinary jodi'. Gosh, everyone's trying to be so...ordinary. Official website: BilluBarber.com

While I don't doubt this will be a fun film (Irrfan's an excellent actor and very versatile, and Lara brings an interesting dynamic to their couple), there are a couple of things that bother me. A lead role was initially offered to my favorite Tabu, who turned it down for some very legitimate reasons related to Irrfan. From here:

...what is not so well known is the fact that for most of the shoot of The Namesake they did not even speak to each other. The dislike is not all mutual as it is more pronounced from Tabu's side. Her irritation with him stems from the fact that he likes to let on that they are really attracted to each other off-screen as well. She does not like the fact that he shows the world that there is more to their relationship than their actually is.

Creepy. No one messes around with Tabu and gets away with it. NO ONE! On another note, here's something to think about: For all the bad press and treatment item girls get, how about we wear our feminist hats (I'm wearing one as I write this) and call out the item boys too? Isn't it only fair? If even well-established actresses get called out for item numbers (forget that the songs rarely serve no significant purpose in the films they're in), why not the well-established actors? Am I the only one who sees a double standard (by fans too)?

Aside: I'd rename this segment in the film Aladdin (check out SRK's footwear!).

And finally, there's Dev.D, writer Anurag Kashyap's modern-day remake of Devdas, starring Abhay Deol. Here's a film I wasn't too excited about to begin with (see D here). Then Music Director Amit Trivedi did his thing and gave it a rather good soundtrack (18 tracks, about 5 of which I really like, the rest I skip through). Then I realized the official film website is rated X and even contains a 'Lust Line'. Sure, there's a case to be made for this kind of film under the banner of independent film, and that's okay. But I really am quite disappointed at all the sleaze that's being used to promote the film. I think it'll do well for what it is, and will be heralded as 'progressive cinema', but difference for the sake of difference doesn't work for me, and this film's certainly not for me either. And I like some of Abhay Deol's past works and am among the primary target demographic (18-35, male), but find it all rather misogynistic to reconsider. Am I the only one who thinks so?

38 comments:

Aey Aey captain, for the advice on Delhi-6, but I'm not sure if they'll be releasing it in Pakistan. As for Billu Barber, it might be fun, but SRK has become all too fond of non-sensical commercial stuff.

As for Pritam, urrghhh...such a fake. Stole Waqar Ali's 'Mera Naam Hai Mohabbat' and revelled in the glory of 'Ker le tu bhi mohabbat' (Life in a Metro). Then stealing the composition of a Korean track, taking all credit for 'Pehli Nazar Mein' (Race) with Atif's vocals.

Delhi-6 looks interesting - Sonam Kapoor is lovely and the cast includes lots of my favorites. And I HATE the story of Devdas, so no matter how well acted (Bimal Roy version), how sumptuously decorated (SLB version) or how funky/sleazy (Dev D) - its not going on my to-watch list (though I have a feeling that I'll land up watching because of some friend or the other!).

As to why item guys get more respect - it all comes down to bucks. When you get paid 7-figure (or does SRK get 8-figure compensation?) sums to do a song, respect comes with the territory! Even the women stars who do item numbers (Aish in Bunty Aur Babli for e.g.) get more respect than poor Rakhee Sawant who probably earns no more than 6-figure sums per "item".

Bhargav: I'm really excited for Delhi-6. I hope I'm wrong about Dev.D, it's just that everything about it (promos included) I find rather traumatic :(

Saadia: Just when things were looking up, eh? It's always horrible when the exchange of art suffers. Fingers crossed for change. We don't need movies being blacked out, or artists in either country being kicked out of TV shows/films just because they belong to 'the other side'. My experience has been that South Asians have always found a way to ensure art and sport do *not* transcend political divide as they should (most artists and sports persons seem to be cool with it, singer Abhijeet notwithstanding), which is a shame.

I've totally given up on Pritam. Ya Ali from Gangster (see this post), then one of Abrar's songs in Chocolate (2005), then Pehli Nazar in Race (more here). There's such a lack of credibility with him. While on plagiarism, the one I mentioned here bugs me most. *Sigh*

Bollyviewer: The only reason I don't hate Devdas is Madhuri Dixit, LOL. Okay, I don't like it much either, and agree for the most part. I find the overdose of sex and drugs in all the promo material very disturbing. There are industries dedicated to that kind of stuff!

As for the item guys and gals, I'm afraid you're right. It's about the financial resources after all. (Aside: The theme of respect and money reminds me of 'Both Sides of the Story' by Phil Collins.)

I guess the bigger issue has to do with item numbers in general. I see/hear a lot of trash talk from women (in person and primarily online) about item numbers starring women. About women being objectified (and I agree with that). But I just don't see that level of criticism for those starring men (even for someone who's not an established star, perhaps someone like Upen Patel). If women face a hard time, so should men. Therefore, if male audiences get stereotyped, so should their women counterparts! :D Of course, stereotyping is horrible (oh I would want to write a book on it some day), and I could care less for item numbers, but that's besides the point :P

NAWAB! I am creeped out by that Irrfan-Tabu story you included here. I just FINALLY watched Maqbool last night and they were both so great in that. I love Irrfan more every time I see him and now you’ve taken that from me! How dare you! (tight slap to the face) I also just saw his small part in Darjeeling Limited and liked that too. I can now shelf my fantasies of him until I forget this post. I will still have a girl crush on Tabu. Yet I also must add that I read a quote from Tabu saying that she mostly has male friends, doesn’t get close to women, she doesn’t trust women, blah, blah,blah…anyway, I am always suspicious of women who make such statements, as it says more about their lack of valuing women friendships and I find these types to be more competitive and often having mother issues, and the kind who sleep with other women's men. I know I’m making huge generalizations, but if this is all true, such women tend to thrive on drama and male attention, placing little value on simply being friend with people regardless of their sex. Just a thought. Ok, maybe a tiiiiiny part of me is trying to defend Irrfan. :)I echo your item boy/girl number sentiments too.

To answer your question, I’m looking forward to Delhi 6 and Billu Barber. I will watch Irrfan with suspicion now though. I just saw Lucky By Chance in the theater today. I give it a 7 out of 10. Konkona was her usual best.

p.s.Nawab, here's where I got that Tabu quote I reference in my last comment:

"I have more male friends than female ones. I can't bond easily with women because there's a certain element of rivalry. Don't ask me to name anyone but my experiences with women friends haven't been very happy. My friendship with men has always lasted longer, much longer." (Filmfare, Oct. 2001)

Adab Sita-ji! That Irrfan story is creepy, told ya! :P I'll take that tight slap gracefully, but dheere se, pray have mercy; if there's anyone who can get away with it, it's you, LOL. Thanks for that link to the Tabu piece. See, that bit on having few women friends says "apparently", and I'm almost certain she's been misquoted by someone. I think she has few women friends *within* the industry, and that I can see why ;)

She's been known as somewhat of an introvert. And no, no, you can definitely defend Irrfan. Again, always two sides to any story. I just want to not ignore Tabu, who I trust with having more credibility based on what I've seen of them outside of films.

I'm looking forward to Billu Barber too. I don't think I'll get to the theaters before Delhi-6 in its second week, though. Work's been kicking butt. And that's great you enjoyed Luck By Chance to some extent. And 'whew' to the agreement on item sequences/actors. :) I'll be writing to you soon. Hope you have a great Superbowl Sunday!

Saurabh: With you on Sonam, and I sincerely hope this works out for Abhishek. He seems to have made a wise choice with this film, time will tell. And honestly, dude, I have nothing against Shah Rukh. I wouldn't have spent time discussing any of his films or even mentioning him if I were 'always angry' with him. :) This could have been any other actor instead of SRK in Billu Barber, and we'd still be having this discussion.

Remember you'd mentioned Akshay in a comment to this post? My thoughts on SRK are similar, as I'd said there. It's simple: I just wish he made better films!

To me, SRK's been stuck in DDLJ-mode for a long time. His fans apparently like him that way (enough to make his best film in my eyes -- Swades -- a box office dud), and that's great for him. The very few times he's dared to try something more than a love story (e.g. Don, Swades, Chak De), I've been vocal about liking those films.

Now I ask you: Can one not be a fan of Aamir (or any other actor) and express dislike of another actor's projects without feeling the need to defend one's position each and every time with, "oh, and I'm not saying this just because I'm an Aamir Khan fan"? Head over to AamirKhan.com some day and read the comments to his blog posts. You'll find SRK is seldom mentioned there. We have nothing to prove :P

And we've had this Aamir-SRK debate before. What purpose it serves to discuss it over and over is beyond me. But I've been fighting this sentiment for more than half my life already, and I think I'll probably die fighting it, so it's got to stop some day, because people who love to make something of nothing will always find a way to me (and countless others like me). ROTFL...

I'm really looking forward to seeing Dehli 6. The soundtrack is just beautiful. I like every piece of it and that hasn't happend to me in a very long time. I hope Rakesh Mehra continues his way of telling a story like he did in Rang de Basanti. And the promos look awesome.

I'm not sure about Billu Barber. I think Irrfan is a good actor but I have a serious problem with Indian comedies because I find most of them stupid and not funny... sorry... And Priyadarshan being responsible for Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Garam Masala... oh...oh... And I'm with you on your view of Pritam. He lacks uniqueness (to put it in a polite way).

And what about these cameos and item numbers. There seems to be hardly any movie that can't live without them. While the antic Filmfare Awardshow in Jaaneman made sense to me, the boring strung together of past and present Bollywood stars during that song in Om Shanti Om almost put me to sleep. And I recently discovered that an item number at the beginning of a movie regularly means that the movie is - ahm - not so good...

BTW Aamir-SRK (or any other actors) debate: It always seems to me that Aamir Fans are a little bit more relaxed when it comes to their favourite actor. On every Board or Blog (as far as I know) regarding Aamir Khan his movies and the actions he does in real life (like carrying the Olympic Torch) are very very controversial discussed. And in addition to this, there nobody has a problem praising good movies and good performances or discussing bad movies and bad performances of other actors.

When it comes to the media... Under normal circumstances there are not enough news to fill even a weekly newspaper. So every comment has to be blown out of proportion, has to be twisted and stretched... They want to sell advertising space and make money... The problem is not the newspaper but the "fan" who reads it and believes it (like in Aamir has named his Dog Shahrukh)... :-) They took the Blog entry, twisted and stretched it a little bit, left out something and voila.... Raging SRK Fans all over the world were storming into the Blog cursing and even left deaththreats... How sad...

Hey, I really want to see Dilli 6, mostly because RDB was so so good. Also want to see Billu Barber because Irrfan acts really well and hey! it's got my SRK in it :-D Other than that, not sure abt Dev D. Am sure it will be rly good esp because Abhay Deol is a very good actor but I think the overdose on sex and drugs is rly going to put me off. So I won't catch it in a theater for sure!

I just saw Luck By Chance btw (just reviewed it) and it is exemplary!!!!

Also, regarding SRK- many of his fans do want to see him in loverboy mode but I think of those people actually as not being fans enough because they don't encourage his attempts to break out of the box. While I absolutely *love* him in loverboy mode *swoon*, I think he was fantastic in Swades, Chak De, Don and even Heyy Ram. Frankly, if he was the star of Dev D, I'd have watched that also in the theater ;-) I personally blame his so called fans for this because when he was a nobody, he showed a *lot* of gumption and he took on roles nobody would have done (villain roles in Darr, Bazigar etc) but post YRF/ Adi Chopra and post his megastardom, he doesn't get a lot of support from his fanbase for trying out new stuff.

Also, it has to do with the fact that he likes working with his friends and while they (Adi, Farah Khan) are great at their niche (romantic dramas, romcoms), they aren't the most risk-taking directors out there so it becomes an issue of, ok whom do I work with?

Even as a producer, he has quite a few hatke films to his credit - Asoka (which I rly liked), Paheli (which was decent) and Billo Barber (dunno if it will be good but I have high hopes).

Also, I'm a diehard SRK fan and I don't think you're mean or nasty towards him or anything. I think your opinions are fair and unbiased. Also, this camp behavior that some people belive in is stupid. I do like Aamir too (tho I am not a fan) and I look forward to his films as well, so why do some folks think it has to be some major rivalry lol.

I'm actually really stoked for both Billu Barber and Delhi-6, although I had read that story about Tabu and Irrfan earlier and it creeped me, too. I'm looking forward more to Delhi-6 because of Abhishek (and in the hopes of seeing Sonam do some work in a film that deserves her talent). On the item thing: I do call them item boys, on those films where they appear. No double standards here yaar! ;-) In fact, wasn't Abhishek the first item boy? I can't remember if/where I read that.

Wonderful round-up of the month's films, as always! Thank you for getting all those release dates. I am really loving the soundtracks for both Delhi 6 and Billu Barber and plan on seeing the both of those plus Anurag's Dev D.

Have you heard anything of Gulaal? I'm very curious about that one, too.

Interesting discussion on Tabu and Irrfan! I've always counted him among my favorite actors but then I can enjoy Sanjay Dutt onscreen without caring for his offscreen politics, so his status in my books is safe. :)

Also, I agree with the comments on money being the respect indicator for item girls/boys. Now, when are we going to see Shahid do what he was born to do and start steaming up screens with item songs!?

Oh dear- Irfan may be just terribly insecure- why does he have to resort to all that????

On Dev D- I am really eagerly awaiting this, and the movie makes me wonder- they say that another Abhay starrer, "Oye Lucky" suffered because of the low key marketing + 11/26. So does that imply that the Dev D is therefore using sex to sell itself? And while the merits of the product should sell it, apparently that is not sufficient- hence Amir doing hair cuts, and Dev D's Lust Line. I guess the question really become how much and what kind of marketing is appropriate. Unless there is some strict legislation, I dont think the marketing guys are going to stop any time soon :)

Saadia: That would be some interesting info! I've heard the movies stopped after the Mumbai attacks, although I also heard in an Aamir Khan press conference that some theaters in Pakistan showed Ghajini! And yes, I agree that 'Love Mera Hit' from Billu Barber sounds like 'Tha Kar Ke' from Golmaal Returns. I also think they both sound like 'Tu Hai Meri Sohniye' from Kismat Konnection, also by Pritam!

Darshit: I still think Billu Barber will be a good entertainer. If one of only two songs I like from its soundtrack offers any indication, there will be a *lot* Irrfan, Lara, SRK, and Raghuvir Yadav (from Lagaan! And Meenaxi!) can make from it. See, I didn't even realize Rang Rasiya was a film by Ketan Mehta (Mangal Pandey (2005))! Duh!!! Word is it is releasing. But who knows?

Ref: Dev.D, I have no issues with liberal filmmaking. In fact, I think it can be quite effective when done well (e.g. Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local by Abhay Deol and Neha Dhupia). It's just that any film any where in the world that feels the need to sell itself using pornographic content, I feel no attachments to, in which case all I'm saying is, I won't be seeing or recommending the film :)

Kristine! Thanks for visiting. Indian comedy is not best translated across cultures. I think it has more to do with cultures overall and not necessarily the language. I have Hindi-speaking family who have spent their entire lives away from India who often laugh at me for laughing along with some of the films, LOL, so no apologies needed, I hope you find some comedies worth watching. I think Delhi Belly by Aamir Khan Productions, starring Imran Khan, will be just the film for you!

Agree with your thoughts on the Aamir-SRK debate. I also agree on the role of the media and the consumer, but think they both share equal blame. It's almost like the politician-voter relationship in India. In the end, I feel sorry that some journalists must stoop to that level to earn a living, and probably more sorry for the gossip mongers who must do what they do to garner attention. What say?

Also, thank you for your comments on what it takes to be a SRK fan (or a fan of any actor, for that matter). My trust in true SRK fans has thus been vindicated! LOL. I wonder if I'd be criticized if I admitted (as I have before) that as a kid, I actually liked SRK in Circus! I completely agree! And can certainly relate, because I saw and was annoyed at many supposed 'Aamir Khan fans' criticize Mangal Pandey without even seeing it! I guess when we are fans of such excellent actors who've nothing to prove to anyone any more, bandwagoners will come and go, that's inherent. Here's to SRK breaking free and breaking down the deewaars, in his own Krazzy-4 words :) And yes, you and I can certainly champion the breaking down of barriers to get this camp mentality out of the mix, once and for all! Ek Khandaan! (And let's not forget Sallu bhai :P)

Ajnabi: The Dev.D soundtrack is certainly worth some exploration. I would also recommend you check out Amit Trivedi's debut album to Aamir (2008).

Not sure about the item boy, but it's good to know there's no double standard :) Ref: Aamir-SRK, maybe I should just add that disclaimer to my intro post! Something like, "I'm an Aamir fan, but that doesn't mean I can't like SRK films; in fact, Aamir would be the first one to tell me to diversify my portfolio", LOL...

Bhargav: Nandita Das is awesome, and Firaaq should certainly be a great film, in fact, right up there with any other film this month. I'll be adding more to the post, thanks for the reminder.

Filmi Girl! Thank you for stopping by. Gulaal should be interesting. This piece suggests it will be releasing in March, and I liked this bit: "The storyline is similar to a Shakespearean fable of lost identities, love, greed, murder, deceit, power and innocence." I'm guessing those of us who liked Omkara might want to give it a shot?!

Agreed on off-screen personalities not being factored in too much into film viewing. Sports and entertainment are probably not in the top tier of industries to look for model citizens!

Shweta: Yeah, that's interesting about Irrfan, isn't it? Assuming, of course, that it's true, because a lot of what's out there even by 'credible sources' isn't.

On Dev.D, please see comment to Darshit above. As a graduate of the discipline of marketing and as someone who must be market-based at all times at work, I am all for aggressive marketing. And I don't think the merits of the product alone should sell a product (look at the iPod! And Ghajini!).

I am also a proponent for freedom of speech except when it significantly increases the probability of enticing violence and killings, which Dev.D has no issues with at all (hopefully, based on the pubs that are being attacked back in India, we never know though, LOL in a very sarcastic way). There are global industries devoted to the stuff Dev.D is using as marketing material, and to each his/her own, no issues at all. In other words, I'm all for their effort and if they feel the need to sell sex to bring people in, but I'm also willing to bet the film has a good amount of that content, which means I'd just rather stay away. No big deal. Dev.D will get the audience it seeks!

CHANDNI CHOWK 2 CHINA is not going to be imported in Pakistan. Its release in Pakistan has been canceled by its Distributor. The release of THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX has also been canceled by Box Office.Wednesday, 28th January 2009

BILLU BARBER rights have been acquired by Evernew Films and will be released in Pakistan on 13th Feb. with its international release.

Anyways,I'm looking more and more forward to "Delhi 6" each and every time I visit your blog. :)

Sooo disappointed in Irffan. Yucko. I'd react the same way Tabu did. You just don't mess with a woman's rep (Especially, as you pointed out, if that woman is Tabu!).

And why does "progressive cinema" always seem to equal sex and drugs? Frustrating, isn't it? Ok, I'm not going to lie, though. I'll probably still see "Dev D" just because it does sound so edgy and different, and because the whole "Devdas" story grew on me over time (though I'm still not a huuuge fan).

I've got this sneaking suspicion that "Billu Barber" isn't going to be all that great. Hope it proves me wrong!

Thanks for that info Saadia! Good thing they're back there, at least Ghajini and Luck By Chance are playing (then again, my comparison is with when I was living in Karachi in the 1990s, when no Indian movies were playing in theaters, so anything is an upgrade). I haven't seen it, but seems you all haven't missed too much with Chandni Chowk To China. And too bad about Delhi-6 :(

Hi Nida: ROTFL at that SRK discussion comment. I feel so in the minority here. ;) Yet, I think I trust more in Billu Barber than most!

As for Dev.D, I truly hope I am wrong about it all, and that it turns out to be much less filthy than its marketing campaigns promise (I'm more concerned about the language, really). The reviews will have a lot of convincing to do (for what it's worth). I'll first have to see Dilip Kumar's Devdas, though.

'Progressive cinema' is an interesting term, isn't it? I guess my definition of 'progress' has more to do with civility in cinematic innovation (e.g. Lagaan, Swades, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par); Dev.D's crew, on the other hand, believes migrating Devdas to 2008 is progress. All so clear in our minds. All so different. Always two sides to a story...

Anyway, most disagreed with my views on A Wednesday (2008) too. That film was a darling of the critics. The issue I'd like to see addressed in all of this is, just because something is different doesn't mean it is good!

All: I've added 'Firaaq' to my list of most-awaited for the month above. Thanks again Bhargav for the reminder. I remember discussing it a couple of months ago, and missed the release date (because I'd be looking out for its DVD release; no Firaaq in theaters here from what I know, sadly).

I was looking forward to Billu Barber more before I knew what it was about (and when I still thought it starred Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor), but it's still one I'm excited about. The soundtrack kind of gives me a headache, though.

Delhi-6 is probably my most-looked-forward-to movie of the month. If it's anywhere near as good as Rang De Basanti then I won't be disappointed!

Hey Emily! Fingers crossed for Billu Barber. Most films with Kareena Kapoor, I'm on board. I'm certain, in all my bias, that the song with her will be the best of the SRK songs. I do wish the soundtrack were better. For all the works Pritam has plagiarized, at least those copied songs were much better! The quality of his work has dropped, I'm beginning to wonder if he's quit stealing! ;)

I think it's fair to say I've reached (to use a marketing term) the peak of inflated expectations with Delhi-6. It had better be good! And oh, anything remotely as good as Rang De Basanti would be awesome!

Hey, thanks a lot for adding the bit about Firaaq. I've checked out the website and the trailer looks great! As you've mentioned, the director's note is very interesting. Looking forward to its release :)

Nae! Billu Barber (it's been in the news recently for this) I think will belong to Irrfan and Lara. The promos are selling SRK (but of course), but the comedy really should be quite good. Delhi-6 and Firaaq I expect a whole lot more from, though.

There's so much going on with reader (which I use a lot more) and the following module in Blogger, I wish they were better integrated.

Thank you for the info, AdiLah. It is a remake, yes, and I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned as much before the release of the film! As for the credits, I guess it's become pretty common practice for actors who appear for brief intervals in the film to be credited. If they're as popular as SRK, of course they'll draw more people. He seems to enjoy these extended guest appearances, like he did with Bhoothnath last year. Oh well. It's Irrfan's movie, of course. Cheers.

Tracking Nandita Das, per this news piece, she was in Pakistan recently. I have always appreciated that she's bold enough to speak her mind. No wonder she needs security personnel outside her hotel rooms in India even!

It's a pity, really, but hardly surprising. I wonder if SRK's inability to let the film work on its own (which it would have, and better from what I've been reading -- Irrfan's clearly the better actor by far in my opinion) implies insecurity. I haven't seen Billu yet, not sure I want to, after the boring Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

I'm gearing up for a real movie with Delhi-6! My local theater will be playing it from 2/28 onward, so it'll have to wait for a week, but it should be fun. Also, Luck By Chance (DHA's playing it), I've heard is really very good.

As noted in a comment above, I haven't seen Billu and it's too bad with the way it worked out, it seems. Although, I must tell you, SRK films rarely disappoint me, because my expectations are pretty low most of the time. =)

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